Graco Mirage Travel System

10:15

What with this pregnancy now being over half way through, and the need
to buy things becoming more urgent (especially before I get too big to
move), we went out and bought the Graco Mirage Travel System the other day and I just had to share it with you.

The
one thing I knew when I was thinking of buying a pram/pushchair for the
little one, was that I wanted it to be a travel system. For any of you
that don't know what a travel system is, it is basically a pushchair
that is suitable for use from birth which also comes with the car seat.
The car seat attaches to the pram giving you a secure place for the baby
as a newborn, whilst also allowing them to face you and giving you a
better opportunity to transfer them smoothly between pushchair and car.

Then,
when your newborn grows too big for the carseat, the pushchair can be
used on it's own from birth to three years of age making it a long
lasting and cost effective alternative to just buying a pram or
pushchair individually.

The Combined Travel System

My
initial impressions of the travel system, as a whole, is that it
provides a very safe and secure environment for your baby. The car seat
clicks nicely on to the tray at the front of the pushchair and can only
be detached by pressing the button underneath the tray (something that took me a while to figure out!)

There
is an individual hood for both the car seat and the pushchair which,
when combined, means that you can completely cover the baby providing
them with that much needed bit of darkness for sleeping whilst still
being able to see them through the viewing panel on the top.

The
rain cover that comes with the Graco Mirage Travel System is, in
itself, pretty impressive and covers all of the areas that you could
possibly hope to protect from the rain. With a large section extending
round the back and side of the travel system and then the rest of the
cover extending over the top, this will ensure that the baby is kept
warm and dry whilst you get soaked.

My
only slight issue with the rain cover is that the rather large white
label on the top covers the viewing panel which you would normally be
able to see baby through. However, having tested it, you can also fold
down the hood on the pushchair side underneath the rain cover, ensuring
that you can still see baby when the weather is poor.

Practicality

The
Graco Mirage Travel System is a relatively small travel system, with a
large basket at the bottom which you could fit a decent sized bag in,
and two ways of collapsing it depending on your preference.

The
main way of collapsing the system is to remove the car seat and then
use the handle (which you can see in the photograph at the top of this
page) to twist and collapse the pram as a whole. Alternatively, there
are two smaller handles either side of the pushchair which allow you to
lift and collapse the pram at the same time - keeping the top section of
the pushchair away from the ground and coming particularly in useful if
the ground is wet.

The
travel system also comes with the standard brake on the back wheels,
which lock the system in place and stop it from rolling away from you.
There is also quite a handy feature on the front wheels, which allow you
to lock them in to the front facing position making it easier to
navigate difficult terrain such as cobbles or grass and help to prevent
any damage to the wheels.

The
only downside of the practicality of this travel system, for me, was
that some of the parts are quite difficult to clip on or put together
when you initially start using it. Now, that may not be a problem for
some people, and it may ease off as you use the system more and more.
However if you struggle in the strength area (like me) then it may prove
difficult to put together without some help.

The Pushchair Section

The
pushchair section of the Graco Mirage travel system also has a number
of useful features - including a cushion which pads the child's
shoulders and head and adjustable straps that you can raise as your
child gets older.

The
pushchair section can be used from birth, as well as the car seat,
however this does mean that the baby is facing away from you instead and
that you would need to get a nice cozy foot-muff to keep them warm.

There are a number of different seating positions also available -
allowing you to have the baby lying down as recommended when they are a
newborn, and then allowing them to sit up and look around as they get
older.

The
travel system also has a "sitting up straight" option, which is one
step further than the usual sitting position found on prams. This is
designed for younger children whose spines are still developing - the
idea being that, by sitting them a bit higher than the normal position,
it ensures that the entire of their back (particularly the bottom
section) is supported and encourages their backs to strengthen
naturally.

As
you can see, the pushchair also has a nice little tray for drinks, food
and the occasional toy - making it ideal for entertaining a toddler as
you are on the move and adding that extra little bit of security and
protection around the child.

The Car Seat

Last,
but not least, is the car seat section. This section is a Group 0+ car
seat, meaning that it suitable for use from birth to 13kg and it comes
with a handy little spirit level on the side which indicates whether the
seat is at the correct angle or not.

The
car seat comes with a head rest which is ideal for the younger baby,
keeping them warm and cosy whilst protecting their head and neck. This
can be removed as the child gets older and grows, being replaced with
the cushions on either side of the seat higher up. The straps are also
adjustable, allowing you to pull them tighter through the strap you can
see at the bottom and to ensure that the child is secure.

The
seat is relatively light - I found it easy to lift at least - and the
arm can be locked in place so that the seat does not swing all over the
place. It is also quite easy to belt in to the car, with the seat belt
going over the lap section and then round the back of the seat to keep
it secure and in place. Having dealt with some quite complicated seats
in the past, it is nice to have a relatively easy one to use which will
help mums get the children in to the car with minimal fuss and, I feel,
be particularly useful if the child is in the seat at the time.

Overall,
I am very impressed with the Graco Mirage travel system. Not only is it
a bargain, at just £130.00 from Babies R Us, it feels sturdy and
secure, whilst also being comfortable for the baby.

Have you had any experience with the Graco Mirage at all? If so, please let me know what you thought in the comments below!